At a key time in the legislative debate over the same-sex marriage ban, Gov. Mike Pence provided his moral — and vocal — support Thursday to a major group of conservative proponents of the constitutional amendment.

In an event timed to send a clear message to legislators, he spoke to a statewide gathering of about 400 church and community leaders organized by the Indiana Family Institute at the Westin Hotel.

Many of them immediately traipsed across the street to the Statehouse to lobby lawmakers to continue pressing for the controversial measure now weaving its way through the House.

Pence stayed close to themes he previously emphasized, saying the people, and not judges, should make decisions of such consequence to society — an obvious call to send the measure to voters in November. He also hit upon several issues, including abortion, adoption, teenage pregnancies and school choice, about which the family-oriented group is concerned.

On the same-sex marriage measure, known as House Joint Resolution 3, Pence said he believes in traditional marriage and hopes lawmakers will resolve the issue this year.

But Pence, a former board member of the institute, also tempered his remarks, saying it’s important to remember there are “good people” on both sides of the issue.

“And first and foremost, before I give you the hard facts, let me say that as we talk about the importance of intact, two-parent families, let me be clear: Nothing in my remarks should ever be seen as in any way failing to honor the most courageous parents in Indiana who are our single parents,” said Pence, citing his sister with three children.

He didn’t dwell long on the amendment, which passed the House Elections and Apportionment Committee by a party-line vote Wednesday.

Ahead of the likely House vote early next week, opponents of the amendment are also keeping up the pressure.

Freedom Indiana, a statewide coalition fighting HJR-3, is holding a rally led by faith leaders and clergy at 1:30 p.m. today at Christ Church Cathedral on Monument Circle. The event will kick off a weekend of faith-based outreach across the state. Many of the activities will take place in churches and places of worship across Indiana.

House Speaker Brian Bosma said Thursday it’s up to the sponsor, Eric Turner, R-Cicero, to decide whether to call the amendment for a second reading on the House floor Monday or later.

On second reading, lawmakers may propose changes. Some lawmakers said Thursday a potential proposal would remove the amendment’s second sentence, which bans civil unions and similar arrangements — a step that may have some support from Democrats and Republicans.

At the urging of Family Institute leaders, a large group of pastors and others at the luncheon walked to the Statehouse to make sure lawmakers know they want the amendment passed as is.

If legislators amend HJR-3, it would require passage by another legislature before going to the voters, which would postpone it at least another year.

“I just want to make my representatives in the House and Senate know my beliefs,” said John Webster, 24, Indianapolis.

While he realizes many his age don’t share his belief in traditional marriage, he said the amendment is needed to reinforce the state law banning same-sex marriage.

Webster also said he wants traditional marriages to be encouraged because studies show they have a significantly smaller chance of being affected by poverty.

The Rev. Melody Smith, associate pastor of Harvest Ridge Church in St. John, Lake County, said she made the three-hour trip here to impress upon lawmakers that it’s the right of the people of Indiana to vote on the amendment.

Marriages between one man and one woman, she said, are the “foundation for society and the best thing for children.”

During his address, Pence also asked the crowd to work with teenagers to reduce the rising incidence of children born out of wedlock.

And he cited his family-friendly legislative proposals. Among them are measures to raise individual and dependent children tax exemptions based on cost of living increases; to make it easier and less costly for families to adopt children; and to promote broader school choice for families.

He brought the crowd to a standing ovation, though, when he mentioned that thousands of Hoosiers made a recent trip to Washington, D.C., on the 40th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade ruling upholding a woman’s right to get an abortion.

“We were reminded, the first principle for strengthening Hoosier families is remembering that every human life is sacred and precious,” he said.

After Pence’s speech, Curt Smith, head of the Indiana Family Institute, thanked Pence for his leadership on family issues and the marriage amendment and said he hopes Indiana becomes the 31st state to join those who have passed these bans.

Earlier Thursday, Indiana House Democrats tried unsuccessfully to thwart the amendment’s progress. They used what is typically a routine procedural vote to object to Bosma’s decision to reassign the proposed gay marriage ban to a more favorable committee.

Rep. Matt Pierce, D-Bloomington, asked lawmakers to reject a committee report that simply acknowledges the House Elections Committee voted 9-3 to send the amendment to the House. The committee report was adopted 67-30.

“We’re going to set a precedent, if we adopt this committee report, of handing out mulligans,” Pierce said. “If your bill gets stuck in a sand trap, you can just get a mulligan and a do-over.”